Balcony drainage apparatus and method of using the same

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method is disclosed for preventing the damage by the rotting of concrete floor decks wooden components commonly used in multi-story buildings and the like and for preventing accumulation of the water and moisture over and beneath the concrete surface. The apparatus includes an anchoring flange; a cavity portion perpendicularly connected to the anchoring flange including in the base thereof at least one perforation suitable for water drainage and a leg portion, extending downwardly from the intersection of the cavity portion and the anchoring flange, for placement against the external side of the building structure that protects the building structure. The method of using the same includes the steps of applying the anchoring flange extending longitudinally over a portion of a deck subfloor, applying a waterproofing material over the subfloor and anchoring flange, fitting filter media over the edge&#39;s perforation(s), placing a filter media in the lower cavity of the edging assembly, and pouring substrate over the waterproofing membrane covering the subfloor to a level approximately to the top edge of the edge assembly so that a concrete deck is provided with water runoff over the edge assembly and water under the substrate floor drains through the edge assembly holes over the drip edge to prevent collection of water in the concrete flooring.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e)(1) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/360,466 filed on Feb. 28, 2002.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to draining water off building structures and more particularly to a novel edge assembly used on the edges of balconies or terraces and method that prevents the accumulation of water between an exterior concrete topping and the waterproof membrane over the subfloor decking.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Balconies are built to enjoy the sun and the view. As such, balconies are usually exposed to wind-driven rain and builders must design and construct balconies as roofs. Typically, a balcony includes: a plywood subfloor supported on joists adjacent a building, a drip edge attached along the subfloor where the water runs off the deck; a waterproofing material, such as building paper, coated felt roofing material, roofing asphalt, peel and stick membranes or the like, placed over the subfloor and over a portion of the drip edge; a strip of T-bar edge attached along the edge of the subfloor, a portion of which extends over the waterproofing material and over the drip edge, and another portion extending above the subfloor to form a raised edge; and a substrate (typically concrete) covering the waterproofing material and subfloor to the top edge of the T-bar edge so that water on the substrate flooring runs off the deck over the T-bar drip edge and drains from beneath the substrate floor over the drip edge to prevent collection of water over the substrate flooring and building structure itself.

[0004] Specifically, contractors use balcony edge assemblies to protect the edges of buildings and balconies, control against the spill off of water at the edge of the balcony and thence downwardly along the outside wall of the building, and to provide an aesthetically appealing finishing trim. The edge assemblies also act as a moisture seal to prevent moisture from seeping into the building structure or under the balcony or terrace.

[0005] Prior art provides various edge assemblies demonstrating these typical characteristics. In particular, the prior art teaches copings, raised roof edge assemblies, gravel stop assemblies, water dams, and the like, for purposes of sealing upper edges of construction components, anchoring sheet-like roofing or sealing membranes, retaining gravel ballasts or other building materials, controlling water drainage, or for supporting fascia members at the edge of the roof of a building structure.

[0006] Maiers et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,719, discloses a decking method where concrete covers a waterproofing material and subfloor to the top edge of a T-bar raised edge so that water on the concrete flooring runs off the deck over the T-bar top edge, and drains from beneath the concrete floor over the drip edge metal flashing below the T-Bar to prevent collection of water over the subfloor decking.

[0007] O'Riordain's, U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,238, discloses a drainage system for flat roofs and includes a drainage board above a water barrier layer and below a thermal insulation layer so that water falling on a flat roof passes through the protective layer of gravel through the abutting joints of a thermal insulation layer and through the drainage board, and to conventional water gulleys and downpipes.

[0008] VanWagoner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,713, discloses a thermally efficient protected membrane roofing system which also includes a drainage and insulation board and a vapor barrier. A waterproof but vapor permeable tape and a protective layer cover the seams between adjacent roofing panels.

[0009] Paquette, U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,990, discloses a ventilation system for roofs which makes the drying of roof insulation easier. Paquette et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,782, similarly discloses a double level drainage system for flat roofs so that water which collects between the upper and lower membranes of flat, horizontal, or slightly sloped roofs upon perforation of the upper membrane. The insulated panels located between the two membranes exist at both their upper and lower faces with a network of intersecting grooves. Further, a lower drain is sealed to and opens through the lower membrane to drain any water that has seeped into the lower membrane.

[0010] Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,260, discloses a series of separately formed gutters underlying the joints between adjacent tiles so that water penetrating the joints drains to the next floor tile and onto the aligned lower channel using an underlying gutter.

[0011] LaRoche et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,894, discloses a flexible gutter attached beneath expansion joints for draining off water seeping between the expansion joints at the abutment of interconnecting concrete surfaces.

[0012] Riley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,554, discloses a protected membrane roof system for high traffic roof areas wherein a waterproof membrane attached to the roof deck and extruded panels of closed cell polystyrene foam mounted on top of the membrane protects the membrane from thermal cycling, ultraviolet rays, and physical damage, and is resistant to water. Concrete panels are laid directly on top of the polystyrene foam.

[0013] Most of such prior art assemblies, however, suffer from the disadvantage of requiring numerous construction elements, being relatively time-consuming, difficult and costly to install, as well as often unacceptably allowing amounts of wind or water into the interior of the assembly structures, thus exposing the structures as well as the walls, to potential damage such as rot and deterioration. The prior art assemblies fail to provide an efficient barrier to the passage of moisture in the substrate and water tends to accumulate beneath the substrate surface where the substrate surface is frequently covered with water. Generally, the prior art requires that concrete floors always have a moisture barrier placed over any wooden surfaces to which the concrete is to be placed upon. This, however, fails to prevent damage to the supporting wood structure by the accumulation of moisture that finds its way through or around the waterproof membrane.

[0014] Accordingly, the present invention overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art edge assemblies by decreasing the required construction elements needed for balcony construction and providing an efficient tight-fitting assembly that allows the proper drainage of water off the substrate over the edge assembly, resulting in a smoother and more pleasing aesthetic appearance, as well as simplified disposal of accumulated moisture in the concrete floor through perforation(s) in the edge assembly, thereby preventing the accumulation of moisture between the floor and the waterproof membrane covering the subfloor so that the cost of building the decks does not increase substantially while preventing subfloors, joists, and the like from rotting.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] In accordance with the object of the invention, a brief summary of the present invention is presented. Some simplifications and omissions may be made in the following summary, which is intended to highlight and introduce some aspects of the present invention, but not to limit its scope. Detailed descriptions of a preferred embodiment adequate to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the inventive concepts will follow in later sections.

[0016] One aspect of the present invention is a balcony edge assembly or other roofing assembly on a building structure, wherein the edge assembly includes an anchoring flange, a cavity portion connected to the anchoring flange, perforations for water drainage drilled in the base of the cavity portion and a leg portion extending downwardly from the cavity portion's and the anchoring flange's intersection.

[0017] A different aspect of the present invention is a balcony edge assembly or other roofing assembly on a building structure, wherein the edge assembly includes an anchoring flange, a cavity portion connected to the anchoring flange, perforations for water drainage drilled in the cavity portion's base, a strip of filter media overlapping at least a portion of said perforations in cavity's base, a leg portion extending downwardly from the cavity portion and the anchoring flange's intersection, and a downwardly sloping foot section connected to the lower leg portion.

[0018] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of using the above edge assembly, where the method comprises applying the anchoring flange extending longitudinally over a portion of a deck subfloor, applying a waterproofing material over the subfloor and anchoring flange, and pouring substrate over the waterproofing membrane covering the subfloor to a level approximately to the top edge of the edge assembly so that a concrete deck is provided with water runoff over the edge assembly and water under the substrate floor drains through the edge assembly perforation(s) over the drip edge to prevent collection of water in the concrete flooring.

[0019] A different aspect of the present invention is a method of using the above edge assembly, where the method comprises applying the anchoring flange extending longitudinally over a portion of a deck subfloor, applying a waterproofing material over the subfloor and anchoring flange, fitting filter media over the edge's perforation(s) and pouring substrate over the waterproofing membrane covering the subfloor to a level approximately to the top edge of the edge assembly so that a concrete deck is provided with water runoff over the edge assembly and water under the substrate floor drains through the edge assembly holes over the drip edge to prevent collection of water in the concrete flooring.

[0020] A different aspect of the present invention is a method of using the above edge assembly, where the method comprises applying the anchoring flange extending longitudinally over a portion of a deck subfloor, applying a waterproofing material over the subfloor and anchoring flange, fitting filter media over the edge's perforation(s), placing a drainage mat over the waterproofing material and filter media, placing a drainage mat over the waterproofing material and filter media and pouring substrate over the waterproofing membrane covering the subfloor to a level approximately to the top edge of the edge assembly so that a concrete deck is provided with water runoff over the edge assembly and water under the substrate floor drains through the edge assembly holes over the drip edge to prevent collection of water in the concrete flooring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the Detailed Description of the Invention, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

[0022]FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view, shown partially in cross-section, of the preferred exemplary embodiments of an edge assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view similar to that of FIG. 1, but illustrating an alternate embodiment, in accordance with the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of the edge assembly of FIG. 2 according to the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention, including an enlarged view of the edge assembly's anchoring flange, with a plurality of perforations or opening formed therein;

[0026]FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention, including an enlarged view of the edge assembly's second wall and with a plurality of perforations or openings formed therein, and a filter media covering the edge assembly's second wall's perforations;

[0027]FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a deck under construction with edge assembly placed upon the deck subfloor;

[0028]FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view illustrating a partially finished deck having the anchoring flange placed directly on top of the deck's subfloor with a waterproofing membrane placed on top of the anchoring flange.

[0029]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a partially finished deck having the anchoring flange placed directly on top of the deck's subfloor with a waterproofing membrane placed on top of the anchoring flange and a drainage mat placed on top of the anchoring flange and filter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the FIGURES, like numerals being used to refer to like and corresponding parts of the various drawings. The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples, however, can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate an embodiment of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0031]FIG. 1 demonstrates a preferred assembly 10 for forming a balcony edge including a generally horizontally oriented anchoring flange portion 12 which connects to a generally L-shaped cavity portion 17. The L-shaped cavity portion 17 includes three walls: a first wall 20 adjoins the anchoring flange 12; a second wall 22, with one perforation or a plurality of perforations 24 formed therein, extends substantially horizontally and perpendicularly from the first wall 20; and a third wall 26 extends substantially vertically and perpendicularly from the second wall 22. The vertical first wall 20, the horizontal second wall 22 and the vertical third wall 26 together enclose a lower cavity. The L-shaped cavity portion 17 is preferably sized to accept the edge of the balcony.

[0032] A leg portion 32 extends downwardly from the first wall 20 of the L-shaped cavity portion 17 and lies against the side of the building structure 46. The leg portion 32 includes an upper section 34 a lower leg section 36 and an outwardly extending foot 38. The foot 38 forms downwardly sloping edges as shown in FIG. 1 through 8, in order to facilitate water runoff. The leg portion 32 can be from about one inch to five inches in length, dependent in part upon the depth of the deck upon which it is installed. The outwardly extending foot 38 preferably at an obtuse angle between the leg portion of about 135 degrees. The foot 38 can be designed having any desired shape.

[0033] Preferably, the assembly 10 should be continuous (i.e. from the anchorage flange 12 to the foot 38) metal of relatively thin thickness, such as aluminum, copper and steel; however, it may be plastic, such as a rigid 35 mil (0.035″) poly(vinyl chloride) which is UV protected, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, silicon plastics and ethylene propylene diene monomer.

[0034]FIGS. 2 through 3 demonstrate an alternate assembly 10 for forming a balcony edge including a generally horizontally oriented anchoring flange portion 12 which connects to a C-shaped cavity portion 18. The C-shaped cavity portion 18 includes five walls: a first wall 20 adjoins the anchoring flange 12; a second wall 22, with one perforation or a plurality of perforations 24 formed therein, extends substantially horizontally and perpendicularly from the first wall 20; a third wall 26 extends substantially vertically and perpendicularly from the second wall 22; a fourth wall 28 extends substantially horizontally and perpendicularly from the third wall 26 and opposite the second wall 22; and a fifth wall 30 extends substantially vertically and perpendicularly from the fourth wall without connecting back to the first wall. Preferably, the fifth wall's 30 length is shorter than the first wall's length 20. Preferably, the fourth wall's 28 length is shorter than the second wall's length 22. The vertical first wall 20, the horizontal second wall 22 and the vertical third wall 26 together enclose a lower cavity. The vertical third wall 26, the horizontal fourth wall 28 and the vertical fifth wall 30 together enclose an upper cavity. The C-shaped cavity portion 18 is preferably sized to accept the edge of the balcony.

[0035]FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention, including an enlarged view of the edge assembly's anchoring flange 12, with a plurality of perforations or opening formed therein 44 for ease of installation.

[0036]FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention, including an enlarged view of the edge assembly's second wall 22 and with a plurality of perforations or openings formed 24 therein, and a filter media 40 covering the edge assembly's second wall's perforations 24. The filter media 40 can be any suitable permeable sheet material, such as those already known for use regarding drainage. By way of example, the filter media 40 can be a non-woven, needle punched polypropylene or other similar material. Other materials such as spunbonded or woven materials can also be used. In a preferred embodiment, the filter media 40 is a non-woven polypropylene geotextile fabric such as that sold by MiraDri Moisture Protection Products of Norcross, Ga., under the product name 160 N. The filter media 40 allows water to pass freely into the cavity 17 and 18, while preventing soil from entering the flow channels inside the second wall 22. The filter media 40 acts as a temporary barrier and is commonly referred to as silt fence or filter media dam.

[0037]FIGS. 6 through 8 demonstrate a method of using the balcony edge assembly 10. Construction begins with the edge assembly 10. The edge assembly's 10 anchoring flange 12 is positioned over the deck's subfloor 14 along the subfloor's edge 42 and attaches to the subfloor 14, capping the front edge of the subfloor 14 with the leg portion 32 extending downwardly against the side of the building structure 46. Once the edging assembly 10 has been installed, the next step is to install the waterproofing membrane 48. This layer prevents moisture from penetrating the substrate (typically concrete) and helps to maintain the integrity of the substrate. The ideal material to use in this application would be an uncoupling, supporting, and waterproofing membrane 48 which not only provides a moisture barrier but also prevents damage from movement. The filter media 40 is then attached to the second wall 22 simply by placing the filter media 40 in the lower cavity or by using any of a variety of techniques known in the art. In one embodiment, the filter media 40 is attached to the second wall 22 by a hot-melt adhesive. In another embodiment, the second wall 22 is heated, causing the filter media 40 to fuse to the second wall 22 when it contacts the second wall 22. A substrate then covers the waterproofing membrane 48, subfloor 14 to the top edge of the edge assembly 30, allowing for the proper drainage of water off the substrate over the edge assembly, resulting in a smoother and more pleasing aesthetic appearance, as well as simplified disposal of accumulated moisture in the concrete floor through perforation(s) in the edge assembly, thereby preventing the accumulation of moisture between the floor and the waterproof membrane 48 covering the subfloor.

[0038]FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating a partially finished deck having the anchoring flange 12 placed directly on top of the deck's subfloor 14.

[0039]FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of an embodiment showing a partially finished deck having the waterproofing membrane 48 over the edge assembly's anchoring flange 12.

[0040]FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment showing a partially finished deck having the waterproofing membrane 48 over the edge assembly's anchoring flange 12. A drainage pad 52, which is preferably a flat membrane, fused, entangled polymer-filament geomatrix, a plastic wire mesh, faced with filter fabric to provided a drainage layer, such as that sold by Colbond B. V. Corporation of Arnhem, Netherlands under the product name Enkadrain™, is place over the waterproofing membrane 48 and filter media 40. A substrate then covers the drainage pad 52 to the top edge of the edge assembly 30.

[0041] The embodiments and examples set forth herein are presented to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and utilize the invention. Those skilled in the art, however, will recognize that the forgoing description and examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration and example only. Other variations and modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive to limit the scope of the invention. It is contemplated that the use of the present invention can involve components having different characteristics. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An edge assembly for balconies and like outwardly extending external aspects of a building structure, said assembly comprising: an anchoring flange portion adapted to cap the top edge of the outwardly extending subfloor; a cavity portion perpendicularly connected to the anchoring flange and having a major portion thereof extending above the top surface of the subfloor and a minor portion thereof, including a base, extending below the top surface of the subfloor, said cavity portion including in the base thereof at least one perforation suitable for water drainage; and a leg portion, extending downwardly from the intersection of the cavity portion and the anchoring flange, for placement against the external side of the building structure.
 2. The edge assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said edge assembly is formed from a single strip by extrusion.
 3. The edge assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said edge assembly is formed from a single strip by bending.
 4. The edge assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said edge assembly is formed of a metal material.
 5. An edge assembly for balconies and like outwardly extending external aspects of a building structure, said assembly comprising: an anchoring flange portion adapted to cap the top edge of the outwardly extending subfloor; a generally L-shaped cavity portion, connected to the outside of the leg portion at a point below the top surface of the anchoring flange such that a small portion of the leg portion forms one wall of the lower channel of the L, the base of the lower channel of the cavity portion having at least one perforation so as to form a drainage area for moisture to pass through said base, and a third wall extending substantially vertically and perpendicularly from the second wall; a strip of filter media overlapping at least a portion of said drainage area in the base of the cavity portion; a leg portion, extending downwardly from the intersection of the cavity portion and the anchoring flange, for placement against the external side of the building structure; and a foot portion connected to the leg portion along the lower edge thereof and extending downwardly.
 6. The edge assembly set forth in claim 5 wherein said edge assembly is formed from a single strip by extrusion.
 7. The edge assembly set forth in claim 5 wherein said edge assembly is formed from a single strip by bending.
 8. The edge assembly set forth in claim 5 wherein said edge assembly is formed of a metal material.
 9. The edge assembly set forth in claim 5 wherein the obtuse angle between the leg portion and the foot portion is about 135 degrees.
 10. The edge assembly set forth in claim 5 wherein the obtuse angle between the leg portion and the foot portion is about 135 degrees plus or minus two degrees.
 11. A method for preventing accumulation of moisture over and beneath the concrete surface of a balcony or like external aspect of a building structure comprising using the edge assembly of claim 5 in the following sequence of steps: applying the anchoring flange extending longitudinally over a portion of a deck subfloor; applying a waterproofing material over the subfloor and anchoring flange; fitting filter media over the edge's perforation(s); placing a drainage mat over the waterproofing material and filter media; and pouring substrate over the drainage mat to a level approximately to the top edge of the edge assembly so that a concrete deck is provided with water runoff over the edge assembly and water under the substrate floor drains through the edge assembly holes over the drip edge to prevent collection of water in the concrete flooring.
 12. A method for preventing accumulation of moisture over and beneath the concrete surface of a balcony or like in accordance with claim 11 in which the step of attaching the anchoring flange of the edge assembly longitudinally to a portion of a deck subfloor includes nailing said anchoring flange to said subfloor. 